Modernist Roots, Post-Postmodern Unfolding: Reclaiming Meaning through T. S. Eliot’s Poetic Vision

Abstract

This article examines T. S. Eliot’s poetry, showing how it serves as a significant precursor to post-postmodern sensibilities. Grounded in symbolic language and rich allusions, Eliot’s poetry still manages to convey genuine emotions, providing a thoughtful and honest reflection on human experience and cultural dislocation. His depiction of disillusionment isn’t without hope; instead, it creates a space for readers to discover connection, meaning, and purpose even in times of cultural and spiritual uncertainty. Eliot empowers his audience to help piece together meaning from the fragments, establishing his work as a timeless link between individual experiences and universal human truths. By skillfully blending complexity with accessibility, Eliot’s work continues to resonate through the ages, establishing him as a key figure in the literary landscape. Although T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land” is widely recognized as a pivotal work of modernism, it also anticipates the emergence of post-postmodernism. Theories discussed provide the theoretical framework for the research, and the arguments presented are grounded in textual references. By analyzing the selected poem, the study reveals how Eliot weaves together symbolic complexity, fragmented structures, and cultural references, all while maintaining a striking emotional honesty and a beautifully crafted lyrical voice. The approach here blends literary analysis with a post-postmodern theoretical lens and focuses on the reader to underscore how they actively shape meaning. The article argues that while Eliot’s poetry is firmly grounded in modernist aesthetics, it creates a reading experience that invites personal engagement and rekindles hope in the face of disillusionment, traits that resonate strongly with the spirit of post-postmodern literature.